Your Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of a 3-game winning streak and are about to head out on the road to face the New York Jets. While they’re game planning and preparing, we’re busy looking around for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Saturday, Nov. 8th.
More from Steelers News
- Steelers news: Rashard Mendenhall calls out Big Ben, Brian Flores interviews for HC job, and more
- Steelers play it safe in recent 2023 NFL mock draft
- Kenny Pickett gets his guy in latest Steelers mock draft with trades
- Steelers face potentially dark reality if Matt Canada doesn’t pan out
- Senior Bowl sleepers the Steelers must have on their radar
Now you gotta pay
Terrell Suggs did, in fact, receive that Fed Ex envelope from the league this week in response to his low hit on Steelers RB LeGarrette Blount on Sunday night. As Kevin Patra from the Around the NFL explains, Suggs was fined $8,268 for the late hit. The hit drew a flag for unnecessary roughness and started some pushing and shoving from both teams. Suggs denied the play was dirty after the game.
"“He was running, he was still up and he was moving the pile. I assessed the play, and that was the only way I could get him down without him gaining more yards. I wasn’t trying to get him hurt. I was just trying to get the big guy down.” – Terrell Suggs"
I’m not the biggest fan of the league and their fines but I’d rather see more instances like this where the play is flagged on the field and then reinforced with a fine later in the week. It’s infuriating to see plays that don’t get flagged on the field, later fined, and vice versa. This was an instance of the league correctly identifying a dirty play and should have probably fined Suggs extra just for being so damned ugly.
Spence and Williams to take Shazier’s spot
If you think that rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier hasn’t made a big enough impact on the Steelers defense so far this season because of his injuries you might be a little off considering that it takes two linebackers to replace him. Mike Prisuta describes how the Steelers are using the combination of Sean Spence and Vince Williams to replace Shazier at inside linebacker with Lawrence Timmons. Spence goes in during the regular defensive formations and Williams in the nickel. The Steelers are hoping the combo of Spence and Williams can provide the same run-stopping that halted the Ravens rushing game last week.
Can anyone play safety?
The Steelers are down to three safeties on the roster due to the injuries of Troy Polamalu, Shamarko Thomas, and Ross Ventrone. All three have been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Jets according to ESPN Steelers reporter Scott Brown. The Steelers signed safety Jordan Dangerfield this week and will likely have to bring him up from the practice squad this week to join Mike Mitchell and Will Allen and help on special teams. Ventrone and Thomas are both nursing hamstring injuries while Polamalu injured his knee in last Sunday’s win over Baltimore.